You are here

US denies selling poor quality poultry

The United States yesterday defended the quality of the poultry products it exports to T&T. In a statement, the US Embassy in Port-of-Spain assured local consumers that they can eat poultry imported from that country with full confidence.

“The United States takes food safety very seriously. All US exports of poultry must, by law, be inspected and only poultry produced in federally-inspected plants and receiving the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) mark of inspection can be exported,” the Embassy said.

It added that products exported to T&T “are held to the same food safety standards as are products produced for the US domestic market.

The statement continued: “The inspection and export requirements of the United States are based on science and result in poultry that is safe for consumption and exported to nearly 160 countries around the world. Consumers in Trinidad and Tobago receive safe and wholesome food, and the growing popularity of US poultry globally is a testament to that fact.”

The statement was in response to concerns raised by president of the T&T Poultry Association (TTPA) Robin Phillips that substandard meat could be entering the country as a result of a campaign by American poultry farmers to flood the Caricom market.

Phillips wants Government to implement the Poultry and Poultry Products Caricom Standard, passed in 2012, to prevent substandard meat from entering the local market. He is also calling for introduction of proper importation standards claiming there are too many discrepancies in records of exports from the United States and T&T Customs.